The value of Individual Liberty is based on the notion that we are free and responsible for our own actions. But the values of Democracy and Rule of Law recognise that we are part of a society whereby we receive support from others. This assembly encourages pupils to consider how we can face new challenges, knowing that we are not alone.

OPENING ACTIVITY

Nobody makes it like me (craft)

Present several children with the same collection of objects, and give them a set amount of time to make anything they like out of them. The objects need only be whatever scrap you have available, for example a cardboard box, plastic cups, toilet rolls, newspaper, string and sticky tape. Once the time is up, invite each pupil to describe what they have made. Celebrate their creativity, and pick up on the fact that each of us reacts to situations differently.

Catch me (illustration)

Ask for a volunteer pupil and teacher. Blindfold the pupil. Tell them you want them to fall backwards when you say. Ask them to share how they feel! Then tell them they can trust that there will be someone to catch them. Ask how they feel knowing that. Tell them to fall, with a teacher ready to catch them.

FILM CLIP

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (DreamWorks, 2014, certificate U)

Start time: 10:35 (beginning of chapter 4)

End time: 11:59

Clip length: 1 minute and 24 seconds

The clip starts with a vista of New York. ‘New York City – Present Day’ appears at the bottom of the screen. The first line comes from Mr. Peabody, who says ‘And remember, Sherman, “i” before “e”, except after “c”. The clip ends after Mr. Peabody says, ‘I’m with you,’ and drives his moped away.

If you cannot play the clip, say:

‘On the way to school, Mr. Peabody runs through all the advice he has given his son about school. He is worried that Sherman won’t be brave enough to ask to go to the toilet. He is worried that Sherman won’t remember that ‘i’ comes before ‘e’, except after ‘c’. He is worried that Sherman won’t choose the right pencil. But, Sherman isn’t worried at all. He’s just excited about all the clubs that he’ll be able to join. Mr. Peabody knows that at some point Sherman might feel scared or lonely, so he gives him a dog whistle to remind Sherman that Mr. Peabody is always with him. Of course, when Sherman runs into school, Mr. Peabody has to leave.’

We all cope with situations differently. Think back to your first day of school. How did you feel? What were you most excited about? What were you most nervous about? Was there something or someone who helped you to get through that day?

[PowerPoint slide 2]

We’re going to watch a clip of someone else’s first school day from a film called Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Mr. Peabody is a dog, but he is no ordinary dog. He stands on two paws, rather than four. He wears glasses and a bowtie. He can read and speak – in fact he can read and speak in many languages! He is a scientist, an inventor and an athlete. Mr. Peabody has a son too – a boy named Sherman.

It is Sherman’s first day at school. Let’s see how dog and boy are coping…

Play the clip from Mr. Peabody & Sherman:

Start time: 10:35 (beginning of chapter 4)

End time: 11:59

Clip length: 1 minute and 24 seconds

The clip starts with a vista of New York. ‘New York City – Present Day’ appears at the bottom of the screen. The first line comes from Mr. Peabody, who says ‘And remember, Sherman, “i” before “e”, except after “c”. The clip ends after Mr. Peabody says, ‘I’m with you,’ and drives his moped away.

If you cannot play the clip, say:

‘On the way to school, Mr. Peabody runs through all the advice he has given his son about school. He is worried that Sherman won’t be brave enough to ask to go to the toilet. He is worried that Sherman won’t remember that ‘i’ comes before ‘e’, except after ‘c’. He is worried that Sherman won’t choose the right pencil. But, Sherman isn’t worried at all. He’s just excited about all the clubs that he’ll be able to join. Mr. Peabody knows that at some point Sherman might feel scared or lonely, so he gives him a dog whistle to remind Sherman that Mr. Peabody is always with him. Of course, when Sherman runs into school, Mr. Peabody has to leave.’

Sherman is so excited, that he doesn’t seem to be worried at all. When we face a new challenge, it can help if we focus on the exciting things about it – the things that will make the difficult parts worthwhile. It’s like walking up a mountain: if you stare at your feet, you will only think about how tired you are and how long it is taking; if you look up to the mountaintop, you’ll focus on the amazing view and how great it will feel once you’ve made it up there.

Imagine that you were the first person that Sherman met at school. What could you say to help him feel happy about being at school? [Take suggestions – You can sit with me, there are chips for lunch today, our science lessons are really fun.] New friends can make new situations feel a lot less scary.

[PowerPoint slide 4]

How do you think Mr. Peabody was feeling about Sherman going to school? [Take suggestions – worried, sad, lonely.]

Mr. Peabody was worrying more than he needed to! But, it is part of a parent’s job to prepare their children for new challenges. Mr. Peabody has thought of everything! He has taught Sherman much more than he needs to know by his first day. He has given him all the things that he needs – and a chart about pencils that he doesn’t need! But, the dog whistle he gives shows what Mr. Peabody can’t give Sherman. He can’t give himself.

If Mr. Peabody had been allowed into the school, he would never have left Sherman’s side. He would have sat behind him in lessons, whispering the right answers and giving the right pencils. But, he wasn’t, so he had to leave.

[PowerPoint slide 5]

There’s a story in the Bible about a man who faced a really big challenge on his own. The story takes place a long time ago.

[PowerPoint slide 6]

God’s people, the Israelites, had escaped from slavery and had been travelling through the desert for forty years.

[PowerPoint slide 7]

Their leader was a man called Moses. Just as they were about to reach the land that God had promised to give them, Moses died and his assistant Joshua was left in charge.

[PowerPoint slide 8]

Suddenly, Joshua had to be a leader and had to go to a new place without his friend Moses.

How do you think Joshua might have been feeling? [Take suggestions – worried, scared, lonely.]

[PowerPoint slide 9]

Before he died, Moses gave Joshua a message from God: ‘Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified because of them. The Lord your God will go with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you.’ (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Did you hear that?! God promised what Mr. Peabody never could. God promised to be with Joshua wherever he went, and to never leave him. How do you think that would have made Joshua feel? [Take suggestions – happy, relieved, strong, brave, excited.]

[PowerPoint slide 10]

God told Joshua to be strong and brave and to not feel afraid because God would always be there to help and lead him.

When we face a new challenge, it can be scary – especially if we can’t take our parents or our friends with us. It helps to know that there is someone on your side to help you – someone who won’t leave you or let you down. Although Joshua lived a long time ago, God is the same now as he was then. He loves each one of us and he promises that he will never leave us. We can trust him to be on our side, just as he was with Joshua. When we feel nervous or afraid, we know that we can be strong and bold because God will help us if we ask him to.

Headings and Bullets

First day of school [PowerPoint slide 1-2]

Reflection on first day of school.

Introduce Mr. Peabody and Sherman.

Sherman’s first day at school.

Play the clip from Mr. Peabody & Sherman:

Two coping strategies [PowerPoint slide 3]

How did Sherman feel about going to school?

What thoughts might be helping Sherman to feel this way?

Sherman focuses on the exciting things, which will make the difficult things worthwhile.

Mountain-climbing illustration.

If you were the first person Sherman met at school, what could you say to help him feel happy about being at school?

New friends can make new situations feel a lot less scary.

What Mr. Peabody can’t do [PowerPoint slide 4]

How do you think Mr. Peabody was feeling about Sherman going to school?

Mr. Peabody was worrying more than he needed to, but he had helped to prepare Sherman.

Mr. Peabody has given him all the things that he needs – and some things he doesn’t!

There’s a Bible story about a man who faced a big challenge on his own. God’s people had been led through the desert for forty years by Moses.

Just as they were about to reach the land God had promised to give them, Moses died and his assistant Joshua was left in charge.

Suddenly, Joshua had to be a leader and go to a new place without his friend Moses.

How do you think Joshua might have been feeling?

What God can do [PowerPoint slide 9-10]

Moses gave Joshua a message from God: ‘Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified because of them. The Lord your God will go with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you.’ (Deuteronomy 31:8)

God promised what Mr. Peabody never could: to be with Joshua wherever he went.

How do you think that would have made Joshua feel?

God told Joshua to be strong and brave and to not feel afraid because God would always be there.

New challenges can be scary – especially if we can’t take our parents or our friends with us.

It helps to know that there is someone on your side to help you, who won’t leave you or let you down.

God is the same now as he was then, so we can trust him to be on our side, just as he was with Joshua.

When we feel nervous or afraid, we know that we can be strong and bold because God will help us if we ask him to.

RESPOND

Reflection

For most, if not all of you, this is not your first day of school, but life is full of new challenges – big ones and small ones. Close your eyes and think if there is anything that is worrying you at the moment. It could be a big change, like moving house or a little change, like starting a new topic in class. It could be a good change, like moving up a level at an afterschool club, or it could be a bad change, like a friend who doesn’t want to play with you anymore. Life is full of new challenges. But, like Sherman, we can focus on the good and find people to help us through the bad, and, like Joshua, we can always count on God to be with us.

Prayer

[PowerPoint slide 11]

Because God is always with us, we can always talk to him – no matter where we are or what we are doing. By praying in your head, you can talk to him without anyone else knowing about it. I will leave space so that you can talk to him now if you want to.

Dear God, thank you that you are with us. Thank you that you will never leave us or let us down. Right now, I feel ______ about ______ Thank you that you will go with me when I ______ Please help me to be strong and brave. Please help me to not be afraid. Amen.